The beginning and the End
by nekomiao
Summary: The day started out with the team travelling together to see the sunrise...logically the day should then end with one very special person in particular.


It had been exactly what the team had needed. That train ride where they bonded over card games. Games that Tezuka was somehow unnaturally good at. Then that short trek that they had all taken together to reach the summit. The sunrise that they had seen as a result had been completely worth it. At that moment, the bond between those boys shared had cemented permanently into their hearts.

Eiji had known in that very moment that no matter what was to come, he would be able to face it head on with these friends…these comrades by his side. No matter what was thrown his way…and thinking it about it, there had been a lot.

The loss of the team's young prodigy as he chased after his own path which was then followed by the loss of the Golden Pair when the prodigy had returned. Eiji had never felt so angry before in his life. How it had felt to have everything he had worked hard for and felt more strongly about than anything else just thrown back into his face the way Oishi had done.

Oishi had never spoken to him about that decision. They had spent so much time together and talked about so many strategies and not once had he turned around with a hesitant, "Hey, Eiji…"

_Hey, Eiji…my wrist still hurts._

_Hey, Eiji…I think I won't make it to the end._

_Hey, Eiji…The Golden Pair might not be playing in the finals. _

He had been strong during Oishi's initial injury. He had been strong during the entirely way too slow recouperation process. And he had been strong enough to focus on improving himself so that when Oishi returned, he would be coming back to a completely improved partner.

With everybody's support, Eiji had been strong enough to show Oishi just how worthy their partnership was and why he should fight just as hard for their change to be in the national finals as the pair they were supposed to be.

The redhead leaned back slightly on the container, his hands taking up the weight of his upper body. A sly grin formed slowly over his features. Three…Two…One…

"Eiji!" A frantic voice called from below as the other half of the golden pair practically flew up the ladder. Eyes darted over to the slender boy, glancing up and down as to make sure he wasn't injured in any way. No physical injury…? Emotional then, maybe. He did neglect to reveal the full details to Eiji. Was the emergency message all about Eiji's need to discuss trust issues? He wasn't really one to sit down and focus on a serious conversation. As his gaze shifted back up and met those blue eyes, he noticed they were filled with laughter and he froze. He frowned.

"There's nothing wrong, is there?" The frown continued to materialize over the rest of his face and ended up in a slow breathy sigh. He pulled out his phone and read over the message again. "_Come to our meeting place! Now! I need you!" _No…there was no way he had misread the meaning of that message.

With a defeated sigh, Oishi sat down by his friend on top of the green container. He was here now so he might as well join his devious friend. "So…Why did you want me to come out so urgently?"

"The sun is setting…"

_What?_ Oishi took a moment to process that simple statement. Eiji was not a complicated person. He was so transparent at times that sometimes you couldn't help but think twice about something he said just to make sure there really wasn't some underlying message. _Nope…no hidden meaning in that sentence._

As the question touched on the tip of Oishi's tongue, Eiji moved in quickly. His hand shifted to move over Oishi's, fingers intertwining slightly as he took the chance to touch his own lips over the ones he had been watching ever since his doubles partner had arrived.

Eiji had started out this day in the company of all his friends, had been in the safety of the entire team. At the beginning of the journey, you want to start with as many people as you can. As the day had drawn to a close though, he had wanted the attention of one person. To be able to be with this person at the end of his journey and keep it that way.

Oranges and reds started to play over the vice captain as Eiji slowly pulled back from him. The surprised expression was slowly overshadows by hints of embarrassed joy. A moment later a surprised understanding of their situation dawned on Oishi as he shifted to sit a little closer to the redhead.

"I know, Eiji…I want this journey to end with the two of us together too." He leaned forward to capture those lips once more and held onto them until night fell.

After the sun had fully set, Eiji playfully nudged at Oishi, his arms around his neck in an embrace that both of them had long since become accustomed to. "Ne...what did you mean by journey and together…?"

Oishi paused a moment, blinking at his partner and after thinking it over for a moment answered as best he could. "Well…we started the day with the whole team watching the sunrise. It was the start of our going towards the nationals so I though…us watching the sunset…"

The playful laughter which bubbled from Eiji at that moment created a slight blush over his partner's cheeks. "I just thought it looked really nice. That you'd want to see it with me." He hugged him again and teased him with a kiss on the cheek. He then stood and stretched pointing out towards the darkened town below. "Kikumaru sama is ready to take on the world now!"

As Oishi sat there, watching his hyperactive friend, he couldn't help but chuckle in response. Kikumaru Eiji, still as transparent as ever. He really had to stop overthinking these kinds of situations.


End file.
